Burial at National Memorial Cemetery at Quantico: A family guide

History of National Memorial Cemetery at Quantico

National Memorial Cemetery at Quantico is located on land that was part of the U.S. Marine Corps training base adjacent to Quantico in Prince William County, VA. The land has been used by the military for over 200 years. First, around 1775 by the Commonwealth of Virginia for Navy operations, and later, as a blockade point for the Confederate army during the Civil War.

In 1918 a permanent Marine base was established at Quantico. The Marine Corps Schools, a forerunner of the Marine Corps Development and Education Command, was created there in 1921. Since 1941, the focus of the base has been individual education rather than unit training. In 1977, the Marine Corps donated 725 acres of this land to the VA's National Cemetery Administration, to establish a facility at Quantico. The cemetery was formally dedicated on May 15, 1983.

Monuments and Memorials There are nine memorials in all. A monument to Edson's Raiders was the first memorial dedicated at Quantico National Cemetery, unveiled on the memorial pathway on August 6, 1989. It is dedicated to the 800 members of the First Marine Raider Battalion, which from August 1942 to October 1943, played a key role in helping the greatly outnumbered American forces push back Japanese troops in the Brigit Solomon Islands.

The Purple Heart Memorial was dedicated August 7, 1990, in honor of Purple Heart medal recipients interred at the cemetery. The Purple Heart was created by George Washington in 1782 and was originally awarded for heroism. It eventually fell into disuse until 1931 when General Douglas MacArthur revived it for soldiers who were wounded or killed in defense of their nation.

Notable veterans buried at National Memorial Cemetery at Quantico

The National Cemetery Administration documents the following veterans of note buried at National Memorial Cemetery at Quantico, listed by section and site as recorded in the cemetery's official register.

• Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor is the highest award for valor in action against an enemy force that can be bestowed upon an individual serving in the Armed Services of the United States. Recipients receive the Medal of Honor from the President on behalf of Congress. It was first awarded during the Civil War and the eligibility criteria, medal design, and recognition on a recipients' grave marker have all evolved over time. There are 434 Medal of Honor recipients interred at VA national cemeteries including 6 double recipients.
• » Medal of Honor recipients interred or memorialized here:
• Private First Class Hector A. Cafferata, Jr. (Korea). Cafferata received the Medal of Honor while serving in the U.S. Marine Corps, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, for extraordinary heroism as a rifleman with Company F, in Korea, November 28, 1950. Cafferata died in 2016 and is buried in Section 24, Site 30.
• Other Burials In 1945, Second Lieutenant Frederick Branch became the first African-American officer in the U.S. Marine Corps. Born in North Carolina, in 1922, he graduated from Temple University in 1947 with a degree in physics. Branch developed the science program for Philadelphia's Murrell Dobbins High School and taught for 35 years, but World War II interrupted his education. Branch fought in the South Pacific in 1943, followed by officer training. He served in Korea but resigned in 1955 due to limited opportunities for advancement. Captain Branch was recognized for his role in desegregation of the armed forces. The U.S. Senate passed a resolution honoring his landmark commission in 1995, he received an NAACP award, and a building at Quantico's Officer Candidate School is named for him. Branch died April 10, 2005, and is buried in National Memorial Cemetery at Quantico (Section 17, Site 472).
• Creadell J. Haley (1916–2000) was born in Oklahoma, where she and a brother were raised by an aunt and uncle. Haley graduated from Quincy High School in 1936 and enlisted in the Women's Army Air Corps (WAAC) in 1942. Her mechanical aptitude led to an opportunity to train as an aviation cadet. At the end of World War II, Haley was discharged at the rank of sergeant and continued her training as a pilot. She took her first solo flight in 1946. Sergeant Haley was the first woman, and only African-American, from Adams County, OK, to serve in the WAAC. This pioneer aviatrix became a Baha'i missionary to South America and composed hymns for her faith. She died November 2 in Washington, DC, and is buried in National Memorial Cemetery at Quantico (Section 5, Site 258).
• Jack Hawkins was born in Texas on October 25, 1916, and graduated from the Naval Academy in 1939. He was with the Fourth Marines in the Philippines in the opening phase of WWII and was taken prisoner by the Japanese during the Battle of Corregidor in May 1942. After eleven months of captivity he escaped and joined a guerrilla force, earning the Distinguished Service Cross. In the Korean War he led a Marine battalion during the Inchon Landing and at the Chosin Reservoir and earned a Silver Star. He was promoted to full colonel in 1955 and instructed amphibious landings at Quantico. His background led to his selection to train and plan the failed April 1961 Bay of Pigs Invasion for the CIA. He retired from active duty in 1965. He died May 17, 2013 and is interred in Section 22, Site 603.
• Colonel William "Rich" Higgins, the chief of a 75-member U.S. Military Observer Group, a United Nations Truce Supervision Organization, was captured by a pro-Iranian Shiite Moslem group on February 17, 1988 in Beirut. He was held hostage and killed by his kidnappers on July 6, 1990. A marker was placed in the memorial section until his body was found and repatriated. Colonel Higgins was interred on December 30, 1991, in Section 23, Site 141.
• Louis R. Lowery, a World War II Marine combat photographer, took the picture of the first U.S. flag rising on top of Iwo Jima's Mount Suribachi in 1945. The flag was said to be the first U.S. flag flown over Japanese territory in World War II. He was interred on April 1, 1987 (Section 1, Site 6422).

Eligibility for burial at National Memorial Cemetery at Quantico

Planning ahead for a Veteran's or loved-one's final resting place can eliminate unnecessary delays and reduce stress on a family at a difficult time.

The Department of Veterans Affairs covers the grave plot, opening and closing of the grave, perpetual care, a government-furnished headstone or marker, and a U.S. burial flag at no cost to eligible families.

Visiting hours

Visitation Hours: Open daily from sunrise to sunset. Office Hours: Monday through Friday 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Closed federal holidays except Memorial Day and Veterans Day. VA will continue its practice of honoring special requests for weekend burials for religious purposes, in cases of service members killed in action and on at least one day of any three-day Federal holiday weekend at all open VA national cemeteries.

How to schedule a burial at National Memorial Cemetery at Quantico

1. The funeral home or family contacts the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 1-800-535-1117 (24/7 for active funeral arrangements).
2. Provide the veteran's full name, date of birth, social security number, dates of service, branch, and date of death.
3. Fax or email the DD-214 to the cemetery's interment office for verification.
4. Once eligibility is confirmed (typically 30–60 minutes for complete documentation), the cemetery assigns a date, time, and committal shelter.
5. The funeral home transports the deceased to National Memorial Cemetery at Quantico at the assigned time. The cemetery handles opening, closing, and perpetual care from that point.

Where National Memorial Cemetery at Quantico sits in the Virginia cemetery system

National Memorial Cemetery at Quantico is one of the veteran cemeteries operating in Virginia. The cemetery is currently accepting new in-ground and columbarium interments. Families should verify status before planning.

For families considering alternatives, the nearest veteran cemeteries appear in our cemetery sidebar. If National Memorial Cemetery at Quantico is fully reserved, those alternatives are typically the next options.